Chapter 166 - The City Falls

Uncle Xu did not have to wait too long; after an hour and a half, he returned with the small cloth bundle. He expressed his gratitude and exhorted caution before making his way back to the small courtyard in the western part of the city through a labyrinth of alleys.

When Shen Jin received the bundle from Uncle Xu's hands, tears streamed down her face as she realized its contents. She knelt on the ground and sincerely bowed her head three times, leaving red marks on her forehead from the impact.

In the meantime, Shen Tie had been fed salted sugar water again and was still deeply asleep. Shen Yin, who had drunk two bowls of the solution, could now open his eyes upon hearing the noise. Although somewhat delirious when the shopkeeper and Uncle Xu carried him away, he had still managed to hear their conversation and see his brother weeping and bowing to Uncle Xu. A tear trickled down his cheek as he inferred the grim reality.

Wen Lingzhen felt a pang of sympathy. With a stinging nose, she turned around, found a small jar of appropriate size, and handed it to Shen Jin. After shedding some tears while holding the jar, Shen Jin packed the contents, wrapped it with another piece of cloth that she asked Wen Lingzhen for, and finally placed it in her bundle.

...

And thus, Li's life came to an end. Compared to most people in this chaotic era, she had the fortune of being laid to rest and having her young children saved – a rare blessing.

Since Uncle Xu did not need to go to the city walls, he joined the shopkeeper and his son in digging the tunnel. Upon observing Shen Yin and Shen Tie's conditions and estimating that it was almost noon, Wen Lingzhen began to pack up.

There was not much to gather, as all their valuables were already in the few small bundles they brought from Shezhou. There were also a few possessions belonging to the shopkeeper and Uncle Xu, along with the remaining salt.

As for rice, there was none left. After vigorously shaking the rice sack, Wen Lingzhen could only scrape together a tiny amount that barely covered the palm of her hand – it was smaller than two copper coins when spread out flat.

She fetched a small clay pot, filled it halfway with water, and cooked all the rice. Once done, she scooped out every grain of rice and added a bowl of the remaining rice broth to share among her three brothers. The leftover broth was left to cool in the pot before being transferred into a water bag.

The family had three water bags: one for cool drinking water, one for rice broth, and one for a small amount of salted sugar solution.

The cool water was reserved for their own consumption. As for the rice broth and the salted sugar solution, since they didn't know if they would have the chance to cook during their journey, Shen Yin and Shen Tie's meals had to be prepared beforehand.

Jin fed the rice broth to his two younger brothers alongside Wei Lingzhen. When there was only a little left, Wei Lingzhen offered it to him. He noticed that the Xu family hadn't joined them for food and asked why. It was then he learned that this was the last bit of rice from the Xu family, half of which had been saved in water bags for Xiao Yin and Xiao Tie.

No one knew the true horrors Jin had endured, with his father driven to starvation, contemplating eating his own children. Yet, it was the almost unfamiliar Xu family who rescued the three brothers, prioritizing them even in their last moments of sustenance.

A tear fell into the bowl, creating ripples in the remaining rice broth.

Seeing his distress, Wei Lingzhen reassured him, "Don't dwell on it too much. We've hidden some extra food outside, and we should be able to escape tonight. Then, we'll have more to eat. That's why we're giving you priority now. If we ever reach a point where we have nothing ourselves, we won't have the means to help. By then, you'll need to stand on your own feet."

Jin wiped away his tears and looked up at Wei Lingzhen. "Aunt Xu, thank you for saving us and my brothers. We will forever remember your kindness and repay you when we have the means!"

Feeling that promising the future was too vague, he hastily added, "My eldest brother taught me how to trap wild chickens and hunt rabbits. I also recognize many edible wild vegetables. Once we're out, I'll find a way to provide food for all of us - for you, Uncle Xu, Grandpa Xu, and my two elder brothers, so you can enjoy meat and vegetables too."

Wei Lingzhen laughed, "Alright then, grow up strong and healthy. Only by surviving do we have a future."

Shen Jin sparingly sipped his rice soup, eventually feeding the last two spoonfuls to the critically ill Shen Tie before finally taking the remaining bits for himself. Naturally, he didn't fill his stomach. He added some cool water to rinse the remnants and drank until he was satisfied.

Wei Lingzhen saw this and didn't intervene. It was indeed risky if the younger one didn't eat enough.

...

The Xu family had run out of food. In the underground hideout, Chen Dashan and Shen Lie waited anxiously, gradually losing hope with each passing day.

Chen Dashan said, "The grain we left for Wei Qinghe should be running out by now, right?"

Did Xu Pan and the others really dig a tunnel?

Chen Dashan and Shen Lie were no longer certain.

Shen Lie paced around the dark cavern and spoke, "Let's wait until tonight. Even if their tunnel is completed now, they likely won't dare to come out in broad daylight. If they haven't emerged by dawn, then..."

He gritted his teeth and declared, "We'll head back."

They had been out for too long. The people in the valley must be worried. After waiting so long, they should have dug their way out by now. If they still hadn't, there could only be one explanation: Xu Pan hadn't dug a tunnel. In that case, waiting any longer would be futile.

Mid-sentence, he abruptly lifted his head to look toward the ground. Chen Dashan also sensed something amiss. The sounds of war drums and shouting were distinctly different from the occasional minor disturbances they had experienced in the past few days; they seemed overly intense.

Both men's expressions changed as they climbed a few steps up the excavated staircase, lifting the shelter's lid slightly to listen more closely.

With the lid open, the noise became clearer, causing a fine sheen of sweat to break out on Shen Lie's palms.

Had the city fallen?

The voices sounded far too enthusiastic and spirited, reminiscent of the exhilaration that accompanied a successful siege.

...

At the same time, within the city, at the ruined Xu residence, Xu Wenhong emerged from the secret tunnel with excitement brimming in his eyes, despite his attempt to suppress his voice. "Mother, we've reached the tree roots! It's a robust root system!"

Wei Lingzhen, upon hearing this, sprang to her feet, equally thrilled.

Discovering the tree roots meant they had found a cover for digging their way out.

She instructed Shen Jin to stay outside while she followed her son into the tunnel to assess the situation.

Shopkeeper Xu was also delighted. Together with Uncle Xu and Xu Wenqing, they had already excavated an area around the tree trunk where one could stand. Now, they were digging upward, having already dug nearly two feet deep.

In a low voice, Shopkeeper Xu whispered to Wei Lingzhen, "Back then, we dug down about five feet. Now, if we dig up three feet, leaving a thickness of about a foot, we'll be able to escape once we break through at night."

The tunnel was too narrow for Wei Lingzhen to assist in the digging. All she could do was help clear the soil into the baskets.

In the main room, Shen Jin was also deeply excited.

They would be able to leave at night.

He squeezed Shen Yin and Shen Tie's hands and said, "Little Yin, Little Tie, did you hear that? Tonight, we'll be able to get out. Once we're out of this town, I'll catch some pheasants for you, and we'll dig up wild vegetables to eat."

Shen Tie's eyelids fluttered, attempting to open, but failed.

On the other hand, Shen Yin faintly opened her eyes and curved her lips slightly in response to Shen Jin.

Shen Jin stroked Shen Tie's hand, which was no longer as cold as it had been that morning. Although it was only a slight movement of his eyelids, he was still overjoyed. Just as he was about to say more encouraging words to Shen Tie, he seemed to hear a faint, off-putting sound. He tilted his ear to listen, then put down Shen Tie's hand, got up, and left the main room, heading for the courtyard by opening the door.

Upon entering the courtyard, the indistinct sound became slightly clearer.

Screams of battle?

Many voices crying out in the midst of combat.

Shen Jin froze for a moment, then his face paled as he dashed towards the main house and into the tunnel. He recalled Xu Wenhong's warning: not to speak loudly here, but to run swiftly. Reaching the end of the tunnel, he grabbed hold of Xu Wenhong, who was standing at the outermost edge, and said, "Brother Wenhong, Uncle Xu, something's wrong. There are many people shouting outside. Have the bandits broken in?"

The faces of Shopkeeper Xu and the others instantly changed.

Stuffing the hoe into the hands of his youngest son, he instructed, "Keep digging, hurry up!"

He then called out to Uncle Xu and Wei Lingzhen, "Quickly, block the entrance to the courtyard and gather our belongings. Take the children down into the tunnel."

In an instant, the three adults rushed out. Xu Wenhong and Xu Wenqing began excavating the exit with incredible speed. Shen Jin was worried about Shen Yin and Shen Tie still above ground, but upon hearing that Shopkeeper Xu hadn't forgotten his younger brothers, he set aside his concerns. Picking up the hoe that Uncle Xu had left behind, he started digging too, piling the loose soil into steps. Stepping on them, he joined in the effort to dig upward.

With bandits in the city, every second counted for survival.

...

The moment Shopkeeper Xu emerged from the tunnel, he heard the commotion. Although the sounds of attacks were common in the city every day, they usually remained distant. Today, however, the noise was much closer and growing louder by the minute. It was clear that chaos had erupted within the city.

Without hesitation, he joined Uncle Xu in searching for something to prop up the courtyard gate. There wasn't much left, as the previous occupants had taken everything they could, including firewood. Most of the furniture that couldn't be moved, Shopkeeper Xu had dismantled for fuel. Now, they could only manage with some wooden planks.

After securing the gate, they waited for Wei Lingzhen to gather their belongings. Uncle Xu grabbed an ax lying in the yard, and the trio retreated into the main house, pushing the only remaining Eight Immortals table against the door for added protection.

Wei Lingzhen first carried Shen Yin into the tunnel, then returned to carry Shen Tie. She also took Shen Jin's bundle and kitchen knife before reentering the tunnel and promptly taking over Shen Jin's tasks.

Shen Jin didn't say much; he lacked strength and was small. At his height, even with a hoe and standing on mud, he couldn't reach higher spots. He knew he couldn't dig as effectively as Aunt Xu. Relinquishing his spot, he retrieved his small bow, filled his pockets with stones, and held onto the kitchen knife, guarding Shen Yin and Shen Tie who lay close by.

In the main house, after bolting the door, Shopkeeper Xu turned to the bedding area, extracting a dagger from beneath the mattress and a small medicine bottle from his chest pocket – the ones Shen Lie had given him for self-defense. Alongside Uncle Xu, they stood guard at the Eight Immortals table, attentively listening to the noises outside.

The cries, screams, and battle cries were now deafeningly clear.

"It's ours now!"

In the tunnel, Wei Lingzhen and her sons dug frantically, disregarding any technique. Dirt covered their heads, faces, and bodies as they focused solely on excavating the exit as quickly as possible.

The courtyard gate thundered with a loud crash, causing Shopkeeper Xu's breathing to quicken. Veins bulged in his hand as he tightly gripped the dagger.

Jin Shen dashed to the tunnel entrance to assess the situation. Hearing the commotion outside, he rushed back, "Hurry, someone's ramming the courtyard gate!"

Xu Wenqing's eyes reddened with determination as he dug furiously.

In the dimly lit tunnel illuminated by a single oil lamp, with each scoop of his shovel, large clumps of soil tumbled down, revealing a small patch of daylight!

It was connected!

Even Jin Shen sensed the light and turned to look.

"I'll go call Grandpa Xu and Uncle Xu."

He sprinted outside without hesitation.

The courtyard gate had already been forced open, and Jin Shen also reached the tunnel entrance, "Quick, quick, it's connected!"

Hearing this, Shopkeeper Xu and Uncle Xu didn't bother about the situation outside anymore. They followed Jin Shen into the tunnel. Xu Wenqing continued digging, swiftly expanding the hole to accommodate one person.

Uncertain of the situation outside, Xu Wenqing cautiously poked his head out. It was a forest; perhaps the bandits had surged into the city. Looking around, he noticed no one in sight. Xu Wenqing promptly used both hands to hoist himself up.

Next came Xu Wenhong, Shen Yin, Shen Tie, and Shen Jin, all handed up by Madam Wei and Shopkeeper Xu while Xu Wenchao received them from above.

With the children safely up, Madam Wei was urged upward by Shopkeeper Xu. Once she was on the surface, he passed up two shovels and a spade, urging Uncle Xu to hurry.

But Uncle Xu refused to go first.

"Quick, Husband, go up."

Another noise echoed from outside the tunnel – a table being moved aside. Without further ado, Shopkeeper Xu climbed up in a few swift movements, assisted by Xu Wenchao and Madam Wei.

The robbers' excited cries could be heard echoing in the tunnel, "There's a tunnel! Chase after them!"

He didn't waste time, urging Xu Wenchao to pull Uncle Xu up quickly while Madam Wei and Xu Wenhong fetched Shen Yin and Shen Tie. Concealing his dagger, he dipped the tip of the small medicine bottle into the shovel's edge, swiftly coating both shovel blades with the medicine.

By then, Uncle Xu had managed to climb out. Barely three steps away from the tunnel entrance, a burly man emerged from below.

Shopkeeper Xu was ready, swinging his shovel at the man.

Not an inherently skilled fighter, his swing missed the vital spots on the man's neck or head, instead hitting his arm.

Blood has been drawn, blood has been drawn!

Xu, the shopkeeper, was so excited that his eyes sparkled with joy.

Unaware of the impending danger, the man let out a pained cry. Fueled by anger, he seized the hoe with all his might, yanking it free and climbing upward.

Shopkeeper Xu didn't have the strength to match him; after the man pulled out the hoe, he couldn't budge it despite his efforts. Xu Wenqing and Uncle Xu, who were standing by, hastily grabbed their own hoes and shovels to lend a hand. However, before they could even swing their tools, the burly man, who was only halfway up, suddenly seemed to freeze in place.

Shopkeeper Xu hastily pulled back his hoe, and this time it came free with ease.

"Go! Hurry up and leave!"

Let Wei Lingzhen and the others depart; he remained steadfast at the entrance of the cave. If there were any reliable means to eliminate the bandits in pursuit, exploiting the cave's constricted aperture that could only accommodate one person crawling through, a venom-laden hoe wielded with force would prove most efficacious.

Three bandits pursued them inside. The first one who scrambled up let out a shrill cry, indicating that he had been assaulted. Despite his obvious determination to keep climbing, his movements suddenly slowed, and he shouted anxiously, "Second Brother, what's wrong with you?"

The second one, dragged down by his companions, had already turned ashen around the lips.

These three were siblings from the same family; how could they tolerate their brother's murder? Especially after seeing those luxurious quilts and bedding just now.

Living in a dilapidated shack, they were covered in fine blankets and had secret tunnels. It was evident that the wealthy family had intentionally chosen this rundown house near the city wall to dig an escape route.

Pirates have their own code of conduct. They don't target the rich; they prey on the less fortunate. If a wealthy catch is stumbled upon, would they let it slip away?

Yet, these two brothers weren't fools. They knew their second brother had died from poison, and they weren't foolish enough to rush into a suicidal situation.

The eldest brother shouted upwards, "If you have the guts, stay by that tunnel entrance!"

Then, he turned to his youngest sibling, "Third Brother, go call for backup!"

The youngest brother agreed but didn't actually leave. He was merely putting pressure on those above, intending to keep the spoils for themselves.

Indeed, Shopkeeper Xu didn't dare to guard the entrance and knew it was futile. There were too many bandits over there. If more people arrived, ten of him wouldn't be enough to fend them off.

He gestured for Uncle Xu to leave, but Uncle Xu was stubborn. Gripping his hoe, he declared, "I'll stay and guard. You all leave!"

Every moment counted.

Shopkeeper Xu couldn't bear to let him stay. It would only lead to death, and even sacrificing a life wouldn't buy much extra time.

Xu Shanggui wouldn't risk his life for such a short period of time. He pulled his uncle back and said, "Let's go together!"

Xu Wenqing was eager to help and was about to step forward when Jin, who was standing beside him, suddenly let out a suppressed exclamation of excitement. "Big Brother!"

Following Jin's gaze, they saw a tall young man, who appeared to be in his twenties, standing behind the bushes.

It was Shen Lie who intentionally revealed himself to be seen by Jin. The moment the young boy called out 'Big Brother', Shen Lie pressed a finger to his lips.

Jin promptly covered his mouth.

Yet, this single cry was enough for Manager Xu to hear it. Following Shen Jin's line of sight, he looked towards the bush and was so overwhelmed with excitement upon recognizing the person standing behind it that he felt like thanking the heavens.

It was Shen Lie!

And next to him was Chen Dashan!

The heavens were indeed determined to save their entire family!

Manager Xu's throat convulsed. He felt that he must have accumulated tremendous virtue in his previous life.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan had already drawn their bows, gesturing to Shopkeeper Xu and Uncle Xu to run. They then pulled out arrows from their quivers and notched them.

Shopkeeper Xu immediately understood. He held up two fingers to signal the number of bandits to Shen Lie and Chen Dashan. Upon receiving their nods, he dropped his hands and urged Uncle Xu, "Go! Whoever stays here will die. We can't hold them off for long. We can't outrun them, so hurry!"

Uncle Xu had also seen Shen Lie and Chen Dashan. He knew that Shopkeeper Xu's words were meant for the bandits below. With Shen Jin addressing him as 'Big Brother,' they knew Shen Lie was present. The bandits would assume the child was calling for someone who was part of the family and wouldn't suspect anything.

He played along, sighing and stomping his foot before following Shopkeeper Xu in a dash.

The two raced towards Wei Lingzhen and the others. The family fled desperately, continually shouting for everyone to run, inadvertently revealing their position with each cry.

The two bandits below felt reassured. Taking turns, they climbed upward. The first one's eyes were solely fixed on the fleeing Shopkeeper Xu's family, completely oblivious to the figures lurking behind the bushes to the side.

As the first bandit reached the top, Shen Lie remained still.

When the second one ascended and took two steps, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan, who had been working together for years, didn't need to exchange a word. In perfect synchronization, they released their arrows.

The two bandits, brandishing their blades in pursuit of their prey, heard only the whistling of arrows slicing through the air. Their hairs stood on end, and before they could identify the source of danger, a sharp pain pierced their hearts. Their bodies froze, and they stood there in disbelief, staring down at the quivering arrow shafts protruding from their chests.